running skirt

While a chica really can’t have too much running gear, having two kids in college at the same time this year, choosing which items to add to my collection is going to be harder than ever as Skirt Sports (affiliate link) releases its new fall line.

I’m a Skirt Sports ambassador and get a generous discount on the gear, but I’m not being compensated for this post. I do, however, get to share a 20 percent discount code with you so you can shop with abandon: FWC20. The code can’t be combined with additional discounts, coupons or promotions.

So what’s so special about the new Skirt Sports fall line? New patterns and new items.

New patterns

The redesigned Pocketopia Capri in the new Love Triangle pattern.

There are items in at least three new patterns: Love Triangle (in shades of green that make this Spartan super happy), Flyaway (a Ruby red repeating pattern that happens to be a butterfly wing) and Romance (a repeating horizontal pattern that has all of the season’s new colors, including greens and the new solid color, Ruby).

One of my favorite Skirts, the Happy Girl, in the new Romance pattern.

The Hover Capri in the new Flyaway print.

New items

While Skirt Sports is slowly releasing the new fall line, you can already buy some new items that are sure to become favorites.

The one that I’m most intrigued about is the Reflective Bolero Jacket, made with a highly reflective fabric and designed to be folded tightly and stored in, what else?, your Skirt pocket. It’s also wind and water resistant. Isn’t it cool?

The new Reflective Safety Bolero is designed to fit in your Skirt pocket.

Skirt Sports used that same fabric for its new Reflective Safety Skirt, which can be worn over shorts, capris or leggings.

Here’s a closeup of the new Skirt Sports reflective fabric.

The company’s popular Gotta Go Skirt now comes in a capri. It features a built-in trap-door so you can, well, go while on the run. I haven’t tried this one and am not yet sure whether I’ll be taking the plunge.

The Gotta Go Capri Skirt features a trap door that allows you to go potty discreetly while on the run.

While I can’t provide any details, I can tell you to expect some wool items to arrive in the coming weeks. Between the new patterns and the new, warmer fabric, I’ll be spending all of my clothing allowance on running gear. Again. Unless, of course, y’all tell Santa I’ve been a very good girl this year.

Have you tried Skirt Sports gear? What’s your favorite item? What do you think of the new patterns? (You may have to click on “Continue Reading” to leave a comment.)

It was Christmas in November for some of us today as we got to see, touch and try on the newest Skirt Sports gear at my fellow ambassador Jessi’s home.

Lots of Skirt Sports gear was available to try on at today’s Trunk Show.

The concept is that a Skirt Sports ambassador gets the latest gear in the newest prints in all the sizes available so we could drool, I mean, check it all out. I was mostly interested in the winter line, which includes a Toasty Vest and Toasty Tights, which have panels in key spots to keep you warmer, especially in the Michigan tundra.

The tights were exactly what I was hoping for — they are true-to-size and soft.

I tried on the Skirt Sports Toasty Tights and was happy to see that they fit true to size.

The Skirt Sports Toasty Tights have panels in the front and back to protect the spots that get the coldest when out on a run.

I also was thrilled to check out the new Stargaze print, which I was lukewarm about when I saw it on the Skirt Sports website, but am completely in love with now that I’ve seen it in person. The blue is more of a teal in person that the blue that’s showing up here and the repeating pattern is much more delicate than how it appears on the website.

The Skirt Sports pattern Stargaze. That’s the Enchanted on the right, too.

Lastly, I also got to learn about a Skirt Sports neck gaiter, much like my beloved Buffs.

Skirt Sports neck gaiter.

After trying on a bunch of things and getting to see all of the new items and patterns, I’ll definitely be asking Santa for the Toasty Vest, Toasty Tights and the Skirt Sports gaiter. I will be looking for a couple of items in the Stargaze pattern later on.

In the meantime, remember that you can always get 20 percent off your regular-priced Skirt Sports gear order (affiliate link) with my code, LCR20. Happy shopping!

Note: Remember that I am a Skirt Sports ambassador captain. That means that I represent the company and am compensated with complimentary gear to review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Uff. I barely made it here today, but I chose to take my own advice and use a menu from a previous week.

Today was great, really.

Started out my day with my runner friends, including Jessi, who is also a Skirt Sports ambassador captain so we had to show off our duds.

Skirt power!

I didn’t have a plan (bad idea), so I ended up running 11 miles with my Team Playmakers pace group, including a newer runner named Jen who was running her first 11 miler. My running mentors Janet and Brandess each helped us reach that goal, but I am beat.

Brandess, who coaches for Team P, was our entertainment at our first (and therefore also last) water station, featuring karaoke and some dance moves I hadn’t seen since 1997.

The always-cheerful Brandess.

Janet kept Jen and I on task, reminding us to fuel, drink Gatorade and water, and chatting away to distract us. Some pearls of wisdom were handed down, I’m sure, but I was a bit delirious and the memories are vague. (Drama queen, much?)

The weather was great for a Saturday morning long run and Team Playmakers’ up-to-20-mile community run was well-attended with about 300 runners. I am very glad that I got to participate and that I didn’t have to run 20 miles today.

Lots of family stuff going on the rest of the day and I’m now settling down for the night (is it socially acceptable to go to bed at 8:30?), so here’s a menu I shared about a month ago, something I turn to when I don’t have a lot of time but also want to make sure I plan the week’s meals:

SmartWools, without a doubt. They work year-round, have never given me a blister and last seemingly forever.

My favorite SmartWool socks with my favorite shoes.

BOTTOMS

Skirt Sports Lotta Breeze capris. I really appreciate that the bottoms are built in, have a slight compression feel and have a skirt to cover your, ahem, assets. I do represent Skirt Sports as an ambassador captain, which means I get a generous discount, but I can highly recommend these bottoms without any bias.

The skirt doesn’t get in the way at all and the tights have these really nice pockets that fit my iPhone 6 with a Lifeproof cover, plus hold several packets of gels. (You can get a 20 percent discount at Skirt Sports with the code LCR20.)

As I’ve said before, another beautiful thing about the Skirt Sports bottoms is that they don’t shift, won’t give you any chafing issues and also won’t give you a wedgie.

Lotta Breeze Capri in Free Love.

TOPS

I’m not as married to my tops as I am to the bottoms. I am perfectly happy wearing a tech shirt from a race or a Champion T-shirt from Target.

I also have several zip-up hoodies that I like, with my favorite being a Reebok hoodie I picked up almost four years ago at Marshall’s. The thing doesn’t even have pockets, but it’s got a lot of wind resistance, reflective tape all along the zipper, it’s warm and the hood stays put without drawstrings. It also has not absorbed my overpowering stink, a feature I do not take for granted.

My most-favorite Reebok zip-up jacket.

How about it: what’s your go-to running uniform? Is there an item you buy multiples of in case they aren’t produced anymore?

Speaking of wants, the company has just released a limited-edition pattern called Psyched. If you’re looking for a bottom that will match just about any of your tops, this may fit the bill. It’s got reds, blues, pinks, greens, yellows, purples, oranges, black and white.

Both the Happy Girl and Gym Girl Ultra skirts will be featured in this print starting Sunday. (Psst: Try ordering it tonight, as I saw it on the website.)

Psyched pattern.

Speaking of colorful patterns, I recently ordered the Lotta Breeze Capri in Free Love. It’s not quite as colorful as Psyched, but it holds its own with lots of blues, greens, pinks and black. I was skeptical of the print until I saw a close-up, ordered it and liked it even more in person.

There are more items in this pattern than the limited Psyched, including the visor, Gym Girl Ultra skirt, the aforementioned Lotta Breeze Capri, Redemption Capri (these are tights without the skirt), Lioness skirt and the Eclipse Tank.

Free Love pattern.

Skirt Sports likes to release patterns and new items each season and I have to tell you that I’m super excited about this spring’s collection. I tended to gravitate toward solid colors (read: black) but these new patterns have me experimenting.

This is where I tell you that I’m a Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain. That means that I get new products to try, a generous discount and — bonus for you — a code I can share so you can get 20 percent off regular-priced items: LCR20. All opinions are my own.

So, what’s on your short (and growing?) shopping list as far as gear goes for the coming spring? Please let me know in the comments below.